Novità

Design: Auction 88A - 09.02.2010

Auction No. 088, 9 February 2010
Design - Murano Glass

Post auction sale until 09.03.2010
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List of unsold objects (PDF)

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Post auction report

Snow covered spring awakening at design

2010, 91 years after the founding of the Bauhaus, designs of the early modern era are really sought after. The ‚B-91’ writing desk by Bauhaus architect Marcel Breuer (designed in 1932, estimated at € 2,500) attained € 2,900, an early variant of his ‚B-6’ chair (designed in 1925/ 26) was hammered down for its estimate of € 800. Highly coveted again the Bauhaus chess set by Josef Hartwig (designed in 1924); the wooden figurines in the cardboard box by Joost Schmidt came ashore at a German private collection only when the price reached € 10,000. The Bauhaus telephone, designed in 1929 and manufactured by Fuld attained, after its pre-eminent result of last year’s Bauhaus auction (hammer price € 5,500) also in this year’s season opening an extremely pleasing sum; a famous American Museum got the upper hand on the German trade at € 2,200. A private individual secured himself Hin Bredendieck’s ‚414 am’ pendant light, designed for Korting & Mathiesen (Kandem) in 1928 for € 1,800, € 300 more than its estimate.

Of similar mindset stem the early designs by Poul Henningsen, Eileen Gray and Wells Coates. Henningsen’s elegant ‚PH 4/4’- pendant light, designed in 1927, increased up to € 2,600, € 600 above its estimate. The writing desk by Wells Coates, designed c. 1935 attained its estimate of € 2,200. The small dressing table for Eileen Grays ‚1027’ house, designed c. 1925-30 went only when € 1,600 were reached, € 300 more than estimated. Each of these three now will be part of German or Dutch households.

The Hochschule fur Gestaltung at Ulm followed the spirit of the Bauhaus. Max Bill’s Ulm stool (designed in 1953) represents an allegory of the school’s orientation: reduction and functionalism. A Munich-based collector was happy to get one example from the household of brilliant graphic designer and creator Otl Aicher for € 5,500 and paid thus almost double the estimate (€ 2,800). The famous kitchen clock by Max Bill (designed for Junghans in 1956/ 57) tripled its estimate in a bidding combat that a German collector won against an American Museum.

From the Salon of famous German fashion designer Uli Richter came eight ‚Montreal’ chairs, that Frei Otto had designed in 1967. A New York interior designer got these custom-made versions for their estimate of € 7,000. An impressive table with travertine top and bronze base will find a new home in Potsdam. Belgian Jules Wabbes had designed it in the 1960s. It narrowly missed its estimate and was hammered down at € 5,700. Angelo Mangiarotti’s all-marble ‚M’ table (designed in 1969, estimated at € 3,000) went to a London-based dealer for € 3,500.

Vivid interest as always in lighting design by Italian creators. Fabio Lenci’s ‚Lucciola’ table light (designed in 1972, estimated at € 1,100) increased up to € 1,600, Angelo Lelli’s ‚Cobra’ table light (designed in 1962, estimated at € 2,000) brought forth € 1,800. The hammer fell down at € 1,700 for two Arredoluce table lights from the 1960s in favour of a German Museum (estimate € 1,500). Also € 1,500 found an Australian collector worth paying for for the ‚Katiuscia’ table light, designed in 1969 by Gianni Celada. Three German and one French dealer competed for the extremely rare ‚Calotta’ ceiling light by Joe Colombo (designed in 1964). For € 2,300, more than double its estimate (€ 1,000) it will light a Cologne-based design gallery from now on.

Special attention knew also a ‚VP-Globe’ ceiling light by Verner Panton (designed in 1969) and a black-and-white lithograph ‚Nu de Vence’ by Marc Chagall (1962, No. 37/ 50). While Panton’s light-ball in a rare execution of 60 cm diameter went from € 1,500 to € 2,300, Chagall’s lithograph was fought over at length and found a new home in Austria after being augmented from € 1,600 up to € 3,900.

If you are interested in Bauhaus design, check out our new book:

Bernd Polster, Askan Quittenbaum (ed.), bauhaus design, Cologne 2009, with information on all important Bauhaus designs and creators.